Outlines of Educational DoctrineHerbart, Johann Friedrich
Philosophy
Outlines of Educational Doctrine
Herbart, Johann Friedrich
Education -- Philosophy
The wise teacher will be glad to make himself personally agreeable to
his pupil as long as the conduct of the latter does not call for the
opposite treatment. Supervision grows less irksome in consequence.
Gentle words forestall, if anything can, all severer measures.
138. The teacher does not look upon the progress resulting from his
teaching with feelings of indifference. His sympathy, even solicitude
it may be, coöperates powerfully with the greater or lesser degree
of interest awakened in the learner. Training, however, can never be
made a substitute where there is no interest or, worse still, where
indifference has become positive dislike.
139. In instruction the presence of interest cannot be simply assumed;
just as little can good intentions on the pupil’s part always be
presupposed in training. One thing, however, must be taken for granted:
the pupil must not have come to feel that the discipline is weak and
the instruction poor. Any defect in either direction must therefore be
traced to its source and remedied. When pupils feel free to do as they
please, when they think they have good cause to blame the teacher for
their failure to make progress, his manner will be of no avail; and
futile attempts only make matters worse.
140. In some cases training becomes blended with government to such
an extent that it can scarcely be distinguished from the latter.
As an example, we may mention the large educational institutions
conducted on a military basis, where the individual pupil is carried
along by the general system, rather than made the object of special
care. In other cases, training and government remain farther apart
than is necessary; an instance of this is when a strict father keeps
himself at a distance, and leaves the business of training, within
the prescribed rigid limits, to the tutor of his children. At all
events, a distinction must be made between the two concepts, training
and government, in order that the teacher may know what he is doing,
and may notice what is perhaps lacking; we are justified in adding,
in order that he may save himself useless effort. For training is not
uniformly effectual, regardless of circumstances; the teacher needs to
be watchful in this matter in order that the opportune moment for doing
what can be done may not escape him.
CHAPTER II
=The Aim of Training=
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